Memorial Cardiac & Vascular Institute Offers New Minimally Invasive Procedure for Peripheral Vascular Disease
Symptoms of PVD
- Dull, cramping pain in the legs, hips, or buttocks that stops when you rest
- Numbness or tingling in the legs, feet or toes
- Changes in skin color (pale, bluish or reddish coloration)
- Cool skin (for example, in the legs, feet, arm or hands)
- Impotence
- Infections/sores that do not heal
Symptoms usually appear in the part of the body that has blocked arteries. But people with PVD can be symptom-free. If you have symptoms or think you may be ar risk, get screened for PVD.
November 2004 — Most people don’t give walking a second thought. But for the 12 million people in the United States. who are affected with peripheral vascular disease (PVD), it can be a painful ordeal.
Similar to cardiovascular disease, PVD is caused by a buildup of fat and cholesterol, known as plaque, that disrupts normal blood flow to arteries in the vascular system. Symptoms of the disease often include severe pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in the leg. Leg pain, known as claudication, can be so extreme that PVD sufferers may have difficulty walking even short distances. If left untreated, PVD ultimately can lead to amputation and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
A new treatment alternative is available at Memorial Cardiac & Vascular Institute. Interventional cardiologists are using a new, FDA-approved device for the safe removal of harmful plaque from blocked arteries in the legs.
Leading-Edge Technology
The SilverHawk™ Plaque Excision System uses a tiny rotating blade the size of a grain of rice to shave away large quantities of plaque from inside the artery. As it is excised, the plaque collects in the tip of the device and is then removed to restore blood flow.
Before the arrival of plaque excision, treatments for PVD included angioplasty, stenting and open bypass surgery, an invasive procedure that requires a large incision and involves a hospital stay. Both angioplasty and stenting clear a channel in the artery by pushing plaque up against the artery walls. However, patients often return within six months to have the procedure repeated due to restenosis (or reblockage).
The SilverHawk™ device cleans out the artery by removing the plaque altogether. "We are hoping that by removing the plaque efficiently, reblockage of the femoral artery will be lower than the expected after stenting," says Luis Tami, MD, interventional cardiologist on the medical staff at Memorial Regional Hospital, Memorial Hospital West and Memorial Hospital Pembroke. Like angioplasty, plaque excision is a minimally invasive procedure performed through a tiny incision.
"We are thrilled to be able to offer our patients a new, non-surgical alternative for treating symptoms caused by PVD," said Dr. Tami.
Those at risk of developing PVD include patients with high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Other contributing factors are obesity, smoking and an inactive lifestyle. For referral to a physician, call Memorial Physician Referral Service at (800) 944-DOCS.